Aspiration drainage in the prevention of postoperative septic complications in rectum sphincter-sparing abdominoperitoneal resection

Aim. Explore the effectiveness of the double-barreled drainage tube «tube in tube», mounted by the developed technique after rectum sphincter-sparing abdominoperitoneal resection due to cancer.

Methods. The data of 52 patients with rectal tumors who underwent rectum sphincter-sparing abdominoperitoneal resection in two surgical wards over the past 4 years were analyzed. At the surgery, the colon was brought down together with anal channel mucosa excision and bringing down the colon mucosa to the anal channel. Rectum sphincter-sparing abdominoperitoneal resection was finished in all patients by placing a double-barreled drainage tube of the original construction to the retroperitoneal part of the cavity of the true pelvis by an original method via the anterior abdominal wall incision. No one-step intestinal stoma was exteriorized in any of the patients.

Results. The average duration of postoperative hospital stay was 17 days; in patients who underwent non-hybrid operation (50 of 52 patients) - 15.3 bed-days. Postoperative complications occurred in a total of 11 (21.1%) patients, and the rate of septic complications was 1.9%, which is lower compared to published data. It is worth noticing that the use of our original method of pelvic cavity draining totally excludes peritoneal fistula formation and facilitates post-operative care.

Conclusion. The proposed method of pelvic cavity draining at rectum sphincter-sparing abdominoperitoneal resections might be effective, as is associated with lower chance of purulent and septic complications. It excludes the possibility of perineal fistula formation, facilitates the post-operative period management.